Consumer products are typically provided in relatively small containers which in turn, are often bulk packaged in relatively larger containers for distribution to consumers. For example, many food products have been stored in cans having a top, a bottom, and a circumferential sidewall. In many cases, the top and bottom components cooperate with the sidewall to define outwardly projecting rims. When these "three-piece" cans are placed adjacent one another in a corrugated box, the upper and lower rims abut one another, and the sidewalls remain spaced apart from one another. As a result, the rims not only contribute to the structural integrity of the individual cans, but also reduce the likelihood of damage to the cans during shipping and handling of the corrugated box containing the cans. With regard to the latter attribute, impact directed against the side of the box is transmitted through the relatively sturdy rims of the cans, as opposed to the less sturdy sidewalls.
Another type of food can has a bottom which is integrally and/or seamlessly joined to the sidewall, leaving a rim about the top of the can but no comparable structure at the bottom of the can. While this second, "two-piece" type of can is desirable in certain respects, it has been found to be more vulnerable to damage when bulk packaged in conventional fashion and subjected to shipping and handling. In other words, room for improvement remains with respect to the bulk packaging of two-piece cans inside corrugated boxes.